Wireless devices are used by many in modern society. Wireless devices are used in the performance of many varied communication services. Mobile stations operable in a cellular, or cellular-like, communication system, are exemplary of wireless devices used by many for the performance of communication services.
Early-generation, cellular communication systems provided primarily for voice communication services. But, successor-generation systems provide for increasingly data-intensive communication services. Wireless devices are, e.g., regularly used to exchange email messages, messages with attachments, perform messaging services, and perform scheduling, address-book, and other functions.
As a wireless device communicates by way of a radio air interface, communications services are performable by way of the wireless device from almost any location within an area encompassed by the network of the communication system. Thereby, a user of the wireless device need not be positioned at a location that provides wire line connections with another communication station to permit the communication of data pursuant to a communication service with the other communication station.
In some configurations, a network server, or other network entity, provides various control and communication functions pursuant to communication of data with a wireless device. For instance, such entities sometimes provide various security features and provide for the routing of data to and from the mobile station.
In such an arrangement, the wireless device is sometimes associated with an account and is allocated for use by a single user identity. The network entity, for instance, causes activation of the wireless device in which a shared key is created, service books are pushed to the wireless device, and database data is pushed to the wireless device. In one scheme, a summary message, in XML or other format, is sent to the wireless device. The wireless device displays the summary message on a graphical user interface window. The summary message indicates services that are available for activation. And, a user of the wireless device causes the wireless device to send back indications of one or more services that are selected for activation. And, in turn, the service books and IT policies associated with the selected services are pushed to the wireless device. And, synchronization of the data is performed. When a communication service is to be performed with the mobile station or personal/private data is to be provided to the mobile station, the mobile station is first authenticated, or otherwise identified, to permit the performance of the communication service. Communication of data is permitted once the mobile device is appropriately authenticated or otherwise identified. And, when data is communicated, the communicated data is, e.g., encrypted to increase the security of the communications. Such encryption, sometimes utilizes an exchange of keys between the network entity and the wireless device.
Access of a user to the wireless device to perform a communication service or access private/personal data to send or to receive communication data, or to access communication data previously communicated, is sometimes time-critical. When the wireless device is accessible, and the wireless device is within communication range of a communication network, a time-critical communication service can be performed or the needed communication data can be accessed. But, in the event that the wireless device is not accessible to the user, the user is unable to perform the communication service or access the needed data.
If, for example, the user forgets the wireless device at home while running errands, the user is unable to perform the communication service. Analogously, if the wireless device is lost, then the user also is unable to perform the communication service or access the needed data. E-mail accounts are sometimes accessible via a mobile web browser. But, sometimes such access is not permitted. Some enterprises, e.g., do not permit public access to enterprise networks.
While the user might be located with others who have similar wireless devices, due to the conventional association of a mobile station with a single account, the user is unable to use the mobile station of another to carry out the needed communication service or access the needed communication data.
Existing wireless communication system operation therefore generally fails to provide a manner by which to facilitate a user's performance of a communication service or access to communication data stored at a wireless device of the user when the user does not have the wireless device readily available.
It is in light of this background information related to use of wireless devices by which to perform communication services that the significant improvements of the present invention have evolved.